Grape polyphenols (GP) may act in the intestine to protect against metabolic syndrome, according to an experimental study published online April 6 in Diabetes… Dietary polyphenols protect against metabolic syndrome, despite limited absorption and digestion. With this in mind, Diana E. Roopchand, Ph.D., from Rutgers University in New Brunswick, N.J., and colleagues examined one possible mechanism of action involving gut microbiota. C57BL/6J mice were fed a high-fat diet (HFD) containing 1 percent Concord GP… “These data suggest that GP act in the intestine to modify gut microbial community structure, resulting in lower intestinal and systemic inflammation and improved metabolic outcomes,” the authors write. “The gut microbiota may thus provide the missing link in the mechanism of action of poorly absorbed dietary polyphenols.